Many summer residents grow not only vegetables and fruits in their suburban areas, but also various kinds of decorative crops. One of the most popular varieties of flowers is rudbeckia - a very effective and also unpretentious plant.
general description
In the wild, this plant, belonging to the Aster family, grows in North America. There are both annual and perennial species. Rudbeckia flowers are very beautiful, in shape resembling large daisies. The petals are the same narrow and long, slightly bending down, and the middle is velvet and massive. There are varieties of this plant with flowers and a slightly different, more magnificent, shape. They have much more petals, and the middle is almost invisible. Such types of rudbeckia include, for example, the "golden ball", well known to all lovers of decorative plants.
One of the main signs of rudbeckia is the rich yellow color of the petals (in different shades). The middle of the corollas of most varieties is very dark. It is thanks to this contrast that the plant looks very impressive.
What varieties exist
Most often, summer residents in suburban areas cultivate rudbeckia:
hybrid. This variety forms a tall (up to 70 cm) lush bush with numerous “daisy” flowers;
brilliant. Very similar to hybrid rudbeckia. It differs from it only in that it has oblong shiny leaves;
dissected. Another name for this variety is the “golden ball”. Dissected rudbeckia can reach a height of two meters. Its inflorescences are terry spherical, have a bright yellow color.
Breeding methods
Seeds bought in a specialty store are what these spectacular flowers are most often grown from. Annual rudbeckia can be planted both in seedlings in boxes and immediately in open ground. The first method of growing allows you to get lush flowering bushes in early June. In open ground, seeds or seedlings should be planted no earlier than in late May or early June. The fact is that young rudbeckia can not tolerate frost.
Seeds of perennial varieties can be planted directly on flower beds, not only in late spring, but also in mid-summer. In any case, such a rudbeckia will not bloom in the year of planting. The first buds on the bushes will bloom only next summer.
In the second or third year of cultivation, perennial rudbeckia can already be propagated by dividing the rhizome. To perform this procedure is allowed both in the spring before the start of growth, and in the fall after flowering.
Where to plant
The place under the rudbeckia is usually chosen elevated, sunny. The fact is that this plant does not tolerate waterlogging and shading too well. The composition of the land in the flower bed can be absolutely anything. But best of all, this decorative culture feels on moderate heavy humus soils.
Rudbeckia: planting by seed
Growing seedlings of this flower culture is a simple matter. In mid-April, seeds are sown in boxes, almost completely filled with soil. Next, the soil is moistened and planting material is spread on its surface. Then the seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil, sprayed with water from a spray bottle and covered with a film. In the future, you should try not to let the soil dry out in the greenhouse.
Around the same technology, such decorative culture as rudbeckia is grown in open ground. Seeds in this case are scattered on the surface of a watered flower bed. Then they are covered with a small amount of earth and sprayed. Then you need to cover the flowerbed with a film until seedlings appear.
Bush division
It is also a good way to propagate a plant like rudbeckia. Growing it from rhizomes can be even more successful than from seeds. In order to propagate the plant in this way, a healthy adult, well-grown bush should be dug from the ground. Next, divide the rudbeckia into several fragments in such a way that each has a kidney of renewal.
Of course, a flower bed for planting parts of the bush should be prepared in advance: to loosen the soil and add humus or well-rotted compost to it. A small hole is made for each fragment of rudbeckia. After planting, the soil around them needs to be slightly compacted.
Care features: top dressing
A spectacular appearance is what rudbeckia is primarily valued by summer residents. The photos presented on the page demonstrate the high decorative qualities of this plant clearly. However, rudbeckia has one more important advantage. This plant, among other things, is also very unpretentious.
Many varieties of rudbeckia feel good even without any care whatsoever. However, in order to get the most spectacular flowering, rudbeckia, of course, needs to be fertilized and watered. Flower beds with recently planted plants should also be weeded from time to time.
Periodic top dressing is what long-term rudbeckia requires above all. Caring for plants of this group includes, among other things, fertilizing in the spring, after the beginning of the growth of green mass, and in the summer during the budding period. At the same time, just manure can be used as top dressing. But it is better to buy in a specialized store a complex fertilizer designed for decorative crops. It is also very good to mulch a flower bed with rudbeckias with dry horse manure or compost.
Annual varieties usually do not need to be fed. But only when manure or humus was introduced into the soil before planting seeds or seedlings.
How to water
Rudbeckia, planting and caring in the open field for which are completely uncomplicated procedures, requires watering mainly only in dry seasons. In rainy summers, the soil under this plant should not be moistened. And even in a drought, rudbeckia should be watered not too often and abundantly. This plant does not like waterlogging. When overflowing, rudbeckia can even get powdery mildew.
How to crop
Perennial varieties of this decorative culture are usually very thickened. Rudbeckia shoots of this group give just a huge amount. Therefore, its planting should be periodically thinned out. In this case, the beds will look much neater and more attractive.
Unfortunately, even long-term rudbeckia is not very durable. Bushes can die already in the 3-5th year. Leaving them to rot in the flowerbed, of course, is not worth it. Moreover, it is not difficult to remove them. You can simply sprinkle some seeds on the vacant spot. But in most cases, this procedure is redundant. One of the features of rudbeckia is the ability to reproduce by self-sowing.
Annual varieties are usually not pruned. In autumn, dead plants are simply removed from the flowerbed and burned or placed in a compost heap. For annuals, dried flowers should be cut off or nipped off. Rudbeckia in this case will be faster to “release” new corollas, and in very large quantities.
Diseases and Pests
The advantages of rudbeckia, among other things, include increased resistance to various infections. Powdery mildew is practically the only disease with which this plant can become infected. Of the pests, rudbeckia is mainly affected only by leaf-eating caterpillars and beetles. Such plants cannot cause special harm to adult plants. Young plantings for prevention should be sprayed, for example, with a weak aqueous solution of dichlorvos. With this inexpensive tool, both annual and perennial rudbeckia can be processed.
Sometimes the ubiquitous spider mite also attacks the bushes of this decorative culture. You can also try to get rid of it with a dichlorvos solution or buy some special insecticide in the store. Spraying should be carried out in the morning or in the evening in dry weather.
Winter preparations
Pretty high resistance to cold weather is also what distinguishes these beautiful unpretentious flowers. Rudbeckia does not need special protection from frost. But in order for the flowerbed to look beautiful next year, in late autumn, bushes of perennial varieties should be cut to the root. Some gardeners then cover the flowerbed with hay and film. But this procedure is optional.
Use in landscape design
One of the features of rudbeckia is that it is very effectively combined with almost any other ornamental plants. This culture blooms from June to August. Since most species of rudbeckia grow very high, they are most often used as a background plant, planting lawns in the background. This culture looks very beautiful in solitary landings. In this case, it is worth placing several varieties of rudbeckia with flowers of different shades of yellow on one large flowerbed.
This is how care is taken for such a decorative culture as rudbeckia. Photos of these flowers decorating the courtyards and gardens of summer residents, you can see above. You must admit that this plant is really very spectacular. Planting it in your own area is a must. Too much time caring for ore in the summer will not take.